Feedback

July 27, 2007

* Cecil, Smithfield: In reading your answer mentioning "flagging" online postings that have objectionable content, I went back to look at the comments on one of yesterday's front-page stories. I see the "flag" button at the top of each posting, but I could not find any explanation for its purpose or how to use it. I suggest you add instructions for this in bold type at the beginning of the postings, so everyone will know how to help you keep the postings appropriate.

Editor: A fine idea. We should take other such steps, too, to keep those conversations civil. Thanks.

* The interesting article in Thursday's Town Square section, "Preschool closes it doors," says that Rita Mackey is "now an active 93 years old." Wish it were so. Mrs. Mackey passed away on May 29. I don't know when this special-to-the-Daily-Press article was written, but someone didn't do a very good job of fact-checking. When I see errors such as this in your newspaper, it makes me wonder what are the mistakes that I don't know anything about.

Editor: That's a very succinct description of how errors erode our credibility, and why we all take them seriously. The free-lance writer of that story is responsible for the original mistake, but you're right that our editing process would have done well to check on Mrs. Mackey because of the time lag before publication. Unlike the New Yorker or such publications, we don't have "fact-checkers" who go behind writers, but this particular timing problem is one that copy editors recognize and try to guard against. We're very sorry for the error.

* From Hampton: I don't know why you are so blind and put Vick on the front page? Why do you glorify this person?

Editor: Feelings run high on this story, and I've deleted some of your opinions about Michael Vick. Whatever people think of him personally, we don't think putting this story on the front page glorifies anything. We think it responds to the facts that people are very interested in the dog-fighting issue, in the fortunes of famous local athletes, and so on.

* Joe, Williamsburg: Re yesterday's near-full front-page coverage of, what else, Michael Vick. May I suggest you change your name to "The Daily Vick" and be done with it?

Editor: Sorry, there it is again today. But there's more to read than that one story.

* J.H.: About the print in Thursday's paper. The front page and headline about Michael Vick is clear, but the rest of the article is fairly light. On the second page I read everything. The comics were fine, but page A12 is very blurred. I've been noticing that more and more. Nearly 25 percent of the pages were so faded/pale they were unreadable. I hope it was a one-time occurrence and the Daily Press isn't trying another economy measure by using less ink.

Editor: We did have trouble with some inkers on the press Wednesday night -- something the press experts call "ink starvation." Our press crews try to snag bad papers before they get to any customers. Sorry you got one. The word has been passed back to the press managers.

* Lemont B., Hampton: I'm surprised to see a typo like "where Vick gew up" on your leading article on the front page, with the main photos. Why isn't that caught in the proof-reading?

Editor: I was surprised, too. We print a lot of words every day, and I'm not surprised that we don't get them all right, because we're not perfect. But the front page is our calling card. *